Topography
It is bilobed and completely surrounds the proximal pelvic urethra, just caudal to the bladder neck. In young dogs it lies within the pelvic canal or at the pubic brim; with age and enlargement it moves cranially into the abdomen. Dorsally it lies against the rectum, so it is palpated per rectum.
Clinical relevance
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia: almost universal in older intact males; causes tenesmus, haematuria or bloody discharge. It responds to castration.
- Prostatitis and prostatic abscesses: pain, fever and recurrent urinary infection.
- Prostatic carcinoma: also occurs in castrated males and often spreads to the sublumbar lymph nodes and lumbar vertebrae.
The model is a male (the CT dog was male).
3D model
Schematic shape (illustrative fidelity), placed from landmarks on the skeleton and the scanned organs. It shows topography, not fine morphology.